Eighteen pro-democracy activists,
including Ellene Sana of Manila-based Peoples Council
for International Solidarity & Peace (PCISP) and Sonny
Resuena of Task Force Detainees-Philippines (TFDP), were
arrested, tried and deported from Rangoon in August for
distributing leaflets containing the message:

we are your friends from around the
world

we have not forgotten you

we support your hopes for human rights
and democracy

8888  dont forget 

dont give up

This 18-member Multinational
Peacemaking Team went to Burma to commemorate, in
solidarity with the Burmese people, the 10th anniversary
of the August 8, 1988 (Four Eights Day) peoples
uprising which called for an end to military rule. It will
be recalled that soldiers opened fire on pro-democracy
activists rallying on the steps of Rangoon city hall that
day. A crackdown followed and the demonstrations were
eventually crushed with bullets and bayonets, taking
thousands of lives. The Burmese military government,
however, still claims the death toll was only a few dozen.

The Multinational Peacemaking Teams
leaflet distribution came two weeks before an August 21
deadline set by the countrys opposition leader, Aung
San Suu Kyi, for the government to convene the parliament
which was elected in 1990. The military has ruled the
country since 1962, and has refused to honour the election
result. The parliament has never been allowed to meet.

The Burmese State Peace and Development
Council charged that the Peacemaking Teams action to
distribute 10,000 of the goodwill message pamphlets
printed on red paper was "inciting unrest".

The pro-democracy Bangkok-based group
of eight women and ten men calling themselves
ALTSEAN-Burma, or Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma,
comprised six Americans, three Indonesians, three
Malaysians, three Thais, two Filipinos and an Australian.
Ranging in age from 19 to 51, they were mostly students
and academics.

Debbie Stothard, the ALTSEAN-Burma
coordinator said, "They were well aware they might be
arrested." She denied arrest was the groups goal,
saying the activists had operated in small groups to avoid
violating illegal assembly laws.

Ignoring international pressure, the
Burmese government put the 18 foreign political activists
on trial for violating the countrys Emergency Provision
Act. The court was presided over by a single judge. There
was no jury. But, the trial was open to diplomats and
journalists.

Burmese citizens put on trial rarely
ever receive an attorney to defend them. Their trials
usually consist of having the charges read out, followed
by sentencing, and most trials take less than an hour as
the sentence is already decided by government officials.
Human rights groups and former prisoners say that
political prisoners in Burma are frequently subjected to
torture and kept in solitary confinement or cells meant
for the militarys dogs.

In 1995, the International Red Cross
pulled out in protest after it was refused access to
political prisoners. Since 1997, US companies have been
barred from making new investments in Burma because of
widespread human-rights violations and the militarys
refusal to come to terms with Aung San Suu Kyi and the
National League for Democracy (NLD).

General Secretary of the National
League for Democracy Aung San Suu Kyi (Photo: Free Burma)

In the 1990 elections in Burma, 392
seats in the 484-seat parliament were won by the NLD.
However, most of the successful candidates have since
died, left the country, or been pressured into giving up
on any attempt to claim their mandate. However, Ms Suu Kyi
says that more than 80 people are still in Burma waiting
to take up their parliamentary responsibilities.

In an official statement released on
August 10 by Burmas military government regarding the
18 arrested activists, the regime accused foreign
interests of trying to disrupt the education system by
getting students to become "saboteurs and sacrificial
lambs" in political protests. The regime said that
its citizens are not obsessed with politics and they do
not see freedom in terms of the right to vote, to
demonstrate and express political views publicly. It says
they are more concerned about basic rights such as
security, safety and a job that provides enough food to
eat.

Leaders of the groups to which Resuena
and Sana belong, as well as other organisations in the
Philippines, urged newly-elected President Estradas
administration to condemn Burmas military junta. After
all, the Philippines sponsored Burmas membership in the
ASEAN despite the vehement objections of human rights
groups and others critical of the regimes suppression
of political dissent.

Senator Raul Roco revived an old
resolution calling for international support for the cause
of Aung San Suu Kyi. He said the Philippine Senate should
lead this move because its existence is rooted in the
struggle for a democratic way of life.

In the House of Representatives,
Resolution 143 authored by Rep. Jose Apolinario Lozada Jr,
states "The current leaders of Myanmar, by their acts
and commissions, continue to show their unworthiness to be
stewards of their countrys democracy and membership in
the ASEAN. It calls for Burmas suspension from ASEAN
"until Myanmars leaders honor its commitments
to restore real freedom and democracy by honoring the
results of the May 1990 general elections."

Protest pickets were organised by the
Free Burma Coalition in front of the Myanmar embassy in
Manila [in May 1989 Burma was renamed Myanmar ] every
day throughout the detention of the 18 activists.

Protest in Makati. Indignant over
the arrest of 18 pro-democracy activists in Burma,
protesters stage a "die-in" in front of the
Burmese embassy in Manila. Daily protests were planned to
continue until their release. (Rodel Rotoni, Asiaonline,
TODAY 14/8/98)

Task Force Detainees of the Philippines
(TFDP) assailed the junta. "The military authorities
in Burma have displayed the naked force of terror for
clamping down on human rights and holding the activists in
prison," said Aurora Parong, TFDP executive director.

From Washington, the Reuters news
agency reported Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright
as saying that a "moment of truth" was
approaching for Burmas military-led government and that
it was vital to push for democratic dialogue in the coming
days. Also, White House press spokesperson Mike McCurry
said, "This episode is a reminder that there is an
absence of protection of human rights in Burma and a
failure of the Burmese government to allow freedom of
expression."

Australias Foreign Minister
Alexander Downer commented, "I think what this does
is simply expose the regime in Burma in a way it deserves
to be exposed; that is, it is a regime that doesnt
allow any dissent, any discussion, any debate." About
the arrest of Sydney academic, Alison Vicary, he said she
had done "what people all around the world do;
just mount a very peaceful protest".

Philippines President Joseph Estrada
made a personal appeal for the release of the Filipinos.
"I wish to express my deep concern over this
matter," Estrada said in a statement. "I request
the government of Myanmar to respect the rights of the two
Filipinos and ensure their safety and humane
treatment."

The activists were charged, after six
days of questioning and investigation, with violating
Burmas 1950 Emergency Provision Act. This is a
catch-all law which allows the authorities to hand out
maximum 20-year jail sentences for attempting to incite
unrest or disrupt the peace and stability of the state.

The trial of the 18 lasted the whole of
Friday. Reuters news agency reported that they appeared
relaxed as they whispered to each other and drank from
water bottles. At the end of the day, the judge (there was
no jury) found them guilty and they were sentenced to five
years hard labour. Almost immediately after sentencing,
officials announced suspension of the sentences and that
the activists would be deported the next day. They spent
their last night in Burma in a police guest house.

Christine Avendaņo reporting for the Philippine
Daily Inquirer said the 18 activists arrival at
Bangkok's Don Muang Airport on August 15 was greeted with
garlands of yellow jasmine and pink roses. About 200
cheering supporters and relatives waving red and white
banners shrieked with joy as they appeared in the
airport's lounge in an emotional celebration of the action
defying Burmas ruling military government.

"Of course, I'm very happy,"
said Sana. "I didn't want to stay there any
longer."

"They never told us anything the
whole time we were there," said Tyler Giannini, an
environmental lawyer from the US. "We did not know we
were being charged until we went to the trial."

US Representative Chris Smith, chair of
the House International Operations & Human Rights
subcommittee, was at the airport to meet Michele Keegan
whose family lives in his constituency. "They simply
promoted human rights, and we ought to be giving them a
medal instead of a suspended sentence," he said.

Of the six US citizens deported, four
are students from The American University, Washington DC.
Sapna Chhatpar said, "As foreigners we were treated
like kings and queens. Whats horrible about this is
Burmese who were convicted for the exact same thing have
been sentenced to life or even killed."

On the whole the 18 were treated well.
Rhowena Parungao in Manila Times Internet Edition
reported Ellene Sana saying that on her first day in
detention, she was brought to a guest house and while
waiting for the police to begin their interrogation, she
asked for and was given coffee and bread. Later, she and
the lady soldiers sang popular songs to pass the time.
"In the mornings they would give me flowers and put
them in my hair I told them I just sympathise and
empathise with their people," she said. "They
know they have a problem, they would like to find a
solution but cannot do anything about it."

Sonny Resuena however was kept under
armed guard in a bicycle shed. "We have no
lawyers," he said. "When we did not answer as to
whether we plead guilty or not guilty, the military
assumed we pleaded guilty."

Alison Vicary told the press conference
that before their arrest they had asked people in Rangoon
whether they supported the military regime. "They
said: No, we dont, but we are scared," she
said.

"If we have at least advanced the
fight for human rights and democracy and made peoples
lives better in Burma, it has been worth it," said
Malaysian activist Chong Kok Wei.

The trial, conviction and subsequent
suspension of the sentences enabled the military junta to
keep face, while at the same time avoid repercussions from
the governments of the activists home countries.

 by Dee Dicen Hunt with reports from
PCISP and various news agencies

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